Attrition rate among Psych Trainees
Started by donegal
I don't have any official numbers from a study, but from my anectdotal experience, no one I know has left a psychiatry residency program unless they were specifically kicked out of it for inappropriate behavior or poor performance. Of those removed, they were few. Actually IMHO, I thought a few more should've gotten the boot!
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It depends on where you are. For example, in Texas, you're likely to be shot by a pocket-pistol-wielding resident colleague...
Or their neighbor.
+1 for sarcasm 🤣
I already told you that I wouldn't do it again. How many times must I apologize?
A problem with the internet is a sarcastic comment that could be meant in jest with everyone laughing can be interpreted as an attack.
I usually try to keep my own comments in a decorum where people do not think I'm after them, even if I disagree with them. (Ahem, cough, cough, just put a post about 10 minutes ago that does not fit that definition.) Reason why is because I've seen too many friends get ticked off at each other concerning posts made in a forum, but if they said the same things in person, everything would've been fine.
I usually try to keep my own comments in a decorum where people do not think I'm after them, even if I disagree with them. (Ahem, cough, cough, just put a post about 10 minutes ago that does not fit that definition.) Reason why is because I've seen too many friends get ticked off at each other concerning posts made in a forum, but if they said the same things in person, everything would've been fine.
If the rate of attrition is that high in the UK, it's probably something to do with the system in the UK making psych practice there unappealing rather than a problem with psych in itself.
I have known of a few people who switched out of Psych. Some people decide it's just not as fun as it seemed as a med student. I've also heard of FMGs getting a spot in psych to "get their foot in the door" (because it is one of the easier specialties for FMGs to get into) but then switching later into what they really want to do.
Still, I don't hear of a huge number switching out of psych. It does seem to be more of a specialty that people switch INTO than out of in America.
I think that some of that is because it's perceived as a better lifestyle than many other specialties and is not physically demanding (for example, possibly making it attractive for a surgeon who has physical problems that make it difficult to do long surgeries or feels like they aren't seeing their family enough).
I have known of a few people who switched out of Psych. Some people decide it's just not as fun as it seemed as a med student. I've also heard of FMGs getting a spot in psych to "get their foot in the door" (because it is one of the easier specialties for FMGs to get into) but then switching later into what they really want to do.
Still, I don't hear of a huge number switching out of psych. It does seem to be more of a specialty that people switch INTO than out of in America.
I think that some of that is because it's perceived as a better lifestyle than many other specialties and is not physically demanding (for example, possibly making it attractive for a surgeon who has physical problems that make it difficult to do long surgeries or feels like they aren't seeing their family enough).
Sarcasm is a calculated risk. Fortunately, it was taken exactly on note this time. 😉
The vast, vast majority of my comments on here are playful. And libertarians without a good sense of humor are just no good to anyone.
The vast, vast majority of my comments on here are playful. And libertarians without a good sense of humor are just no good to anyone.
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I think a problem is that the UK (like most the world) starts to train physicians at around age 18. They usually don't go to university or have any prior exposure to medicine. So, a lack of experience might make them take more time to decide on what they like or don't like. It's also easier to switch residencies in the UK, in the US it is a lot harder.
I really don't think it's about the way UK practices psychiatry. Psychiatrists there have a great lifestyle, ie get compensated well, better hours than the US especially whilst training, almost no school debt (by our standards), and actually deal with a lot less red tape in treating patients.
Quick example: in the UK there was a family who all shared their son's delusion that he was being followed by Scotland Yard. They'd been believing this for a number of months. In the UK, the family having this persistent belief despite evidence to the contrary was enough to get them treatment for as long as the doctor thought was necessary. The physician was calling the shots.
In the US I saw a similar case where a family shared their daughter's belief that she was being hounded by a celebrity that lived far away. The family had also been under this false belief for a number of months. The attending explained to me that the problem was convincing the insurance company that something had changed today which indicated treatment. The fact that they were mentally unwell was not enough. This last part to me was pretty shocking, and it made the psychiatrists' job more challenging: he or she had to know medicine and the required politics to work the insurance system.
There are negative/positive points about the NHS. The waitlist did seem a bit long at times, for example. However, I believe psychiatrists there have it pretty good
IMHO, its a big decision to become a medical doctor, and to start the process at 18? Ouch. Though I think the same applies to people 18-21 in America having to decide a major that may force the path people have for the rest of their lives.
I think its because "training" in psychiatry in the UK is generally more social-social-social service provision than bio-psycho-social education. Social-social-social is better at attracting social workers than physicians.
God Bless America.
God Bless America.
